Semiconductor devices, such as power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), and other such devices including diodes, are sometimes subject to stressful operating environments. A stressful operating environment may damage or degrade the component and may eventually cause the component to permanently fail. When a component fails, the failed component may undergo failure analysis.
In order to adequately perform analysis of a failed or damaged component, it may be desirable to understand the operating conditions of the component from the time leading up to, and during a failure. For example, one of the most common stress conditions that may lead to a failed semiconductor device are electrical transients (i.e., voltage spikes) along supply lines. These transients, sometimes referred to as ISO pulses, may cause unprotected devices to exceed their maximum ratings and become stressed.
While some components can often withstand the high power dissipation that may occur as a result of such transients for a short amount of time, eventually prolonged or repeated exposure to transients may cause permanent damage (e.g., according to the Wunsch-Bell breakdown characteristic of the device). When a device is undergoing failure analysis, it may not always be clear from visual inspection and/or other evidence about its failure, whether such a transient occurred, which may result in an improper or misdiagnosed failure.